Bible Dictionary
SPIRITUAL SACRIFICE
A spiritual sacrifice is the consecrated offering of the believer’s life and service to God. It includes praise, obedience, mercy, generosity, doing good, and sharing with others rather than merely performing outward ritual.
Definition
A spiritual sacrifice is the complete and acceptable offering of the self-dedicated believer to God. It is an inward act of consecration expressed through praise, obedience, mercy, benevolence, doing good, communicating with others, and a broken and renewed spirit.
Biblical Usage
Believers are described as offering spiritual sacrifices and living sacrifices. Praise, Christian benevolence, mercy, knowledge of God, doing good, and sharing are presented as preferable to merely material or outward sacrifice.
Historical Background
The figure comes from the victim slain and offered on an altar, such as the paschal lamb. The imagery is transferred to the consecrated spirit and to acts of devotion performed by God’s people.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>pneumatikai thusiai): A figure taken from the victim slain and offered on the altar, as e.g. the paschal lamb; thus signifying the complete and acceptable offering of the self-dedicated spirit. As the temple, priesthood and God Himself are spiritual, so is the sacrifice of the consecrated believer (1Pe 2:5); compare "living sacrifice" (Ro 12:1); "sacrifice of praise" (Heb 13:15,16). Any self-dedicating act of the inner man; the devout, renewed, consecrated spirit, e.g. Christian benevolence (Php 4:18); "to do good and to communicate" (Heb 13:16); "mercy" and "knowledge of God," instead of material and outward sacrifice (Ho 6:6). This is defined and beautifully illustrated in the classic verse on this theme, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit," etc. (Ps 51:17).</p><p>Dwight M. Pratt</p>